Method of treating articles in tumbling barrels



. Patented Mar. 11, 1930.

UNITED STATES cnnnnns c. 'rnunx, or TOLEDO, OHIO MET HOD OF TREATING AB'IIGLES IN TUMIBLING BARRETT-l8 I I Drawing.

This invention relates to a method of cleaning, olishing and bufling articles byagitating t e same in what is commonlyknown as atumbling barrel. The usual procedure is to place the articles in the barrel either alone or with attrition objects such as balls and as the barrel is rotated the rubbin together or mutual attrition of the articles t emselves or theircontact with the balls or other objects 9 serves to clean and polish the articles. Also the use of bther materials in the barrel has been suggested, such for example as scrap, leather, powdered rags, whiting, etc. in order to produce a polished surface on the articles.

But the use of suclr materials .as those last' J mentioned is more or less unsatisfactory.-

I have discovered that finely divided or commi'nuted material, meal or flour made from corn cobs constitutes an excellent material to be used in tumbling barrels. This material may be made by crushin and grind ing the cobs according to the 'sclosure of, my prior Patent No. 1,598,328, August 31, 1926. The comminuted corn cob material,

cob, possesses in itself all the various properties that are desirable in a tunibling barrel material. The corn cob contains hard flinty ortions which when pulverized or ground e make in efiect an abradant which gives excellent results in the tumblin barrel and contribute toward cleanin an burnishin and olishin ofthe articles bein treate' In a dition t e cob material, mea or flour contains soft smooth constituents which serve to polish and buff and brighten thearticles asthey are rubbed to ether or against the used being such that it will be well mixed Application filed October 9, 1928. Serial No. 140,879.

meal or flour which includes all parts of the 01 distributed through the articles being treated. As stated before, balls or other attrition objects may if desired be placed 1n the barrel, although in manyv cases this will be found unnecessa'ry.- As the barrel is rotated or agitated the corn cob material, meal or flour will be brushed or rubbed over the surfaces of the articles as they rub against each other or against the balls with the result that the articles will be very effectively dried, cleanedand polished or burnished. And-after the operation the cob material may easily be dusted oif or separated from the treated articles. My method has been found to be of much practical commercial utility and to possess numerous advantages over any heretofore employed, so far 'as I am aware. The corn cob material is clean and eas to handle and easy to obtain. It contains al the necessary constituents for cleaning, polishing and burnishing the articles aswell as the ca acity to take u any grease or oil or other iquid that may e found on the treated articles.

"Having thus described the invention what Iclaim is: I Y

. A method of cleaning, polishing and burnishing articles which comprises placin the same loosely in a movable container, a ong with attrition objects such as balls, and with a quantit of finely divided material, meal or. flour ma e from corn cobs by crushing and grinding the same and then agitating the container. 1 a In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. i

CHARLES C. TRUAX. 

